January '11 Reflections: Compliment

I receive compliments ALL the time.  No joke.  The Boys love to eat and they tell me how much they love my food, every single mealtime.  They thank me for cooking, following Daddy's example, and are particularly effusive when special baked goods and treats appear on the table.  I think they've probably realised that their outspoken thankfulness ensures a more reliable stream of baked yummies!

Sometimes I'm even complimented on my clothing.  Usually this remains within the safe area of "nice colour", "unusual style", or "wow, handmade?"  Never "Oooh, I wanted that hooded jumper too when I saw it in the charity shop; but you got there first, darn!"

Occasionally, someone mentions my hair.  Not often.  Wonder why?

There is one compliment I hear from time to time that always makes me smile; the more birthdays I celebrate, the more complimentary it becomes.  Without further ado...

My favourite compliment this year has been, "You don't look old enough to have four kids!"  

[Actually, I find this hard to believe.  Our town has a considerably higher than average percentage of mothers under the age of 20, with any number of kids, so I should look like one of the crowd, really.]

Other guises under which this particular compliment has historically arrived include:

"Are your parents at home?"  This was from a door-to-door salesman.  I was 25, with twin boys and a new baby.

"I need to see a form of identification before you buy that, please."

If they're still saying it when I'm 40, I'll be one happy mama.

And the one compliment I'd secretly like to get? 

"I just love your homemade candles!"

That one's not going to happen until I start making the candles, funnily enough.  

After the January projects are finished, of course!